Vancouver’s ideal location, surrounded by mountains and the sea, create a city full of opportunity for the active adventure seeker. Vancouver is located on the Burrard Peninsula with surrounding bodies of water including the Burrard Inlet, the Fraser River and the Pacific Ocean. The North Shore Mountains and nearby Mount Baker add to the unique geographic layout of this city.If you’re up for a little underwater adventure, Vancouver is known for its cold water scuba diving at places such as Cates Park and Whytecliff Park. If you prefer to stay inside the boat, visit False Creek or Indian Arm for miles of scenic kayaking or try your hand at Canadian white water on one of the many rivers such as the Elaho or the Nahatlatch.Vancouver prides itself on being an eco-friendly city, encouraging biking and cycling as a means for traveling around town. The Greenways Program has created trails throughout Vancouver that provide pathways between much of the city. Cyclists and pedestrians can follow these trails to parks, neighborhoods and shops. There is also impressive terrain and countless bike trails for all levels of cyclists. This is a great way to explore the beautiful landscape of this area. Rollerblades and mountain bikers are welcome as well; anything on two wheels.Don’t forget the slopes! Visitors and residents of Vancouver are spoiled by some of the best skiing in the world, found practically in their backyard. Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour are not only close, but offer great ski and snowboarding slopes each year. And if you really want to test your skills, Whistler Blackcomb ski resort is only a few hours north of the city. These world-renowned slopes were host to the 2010 Winter Olympics. The resort includes Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb peak, with a combined over 200 runs and 38 lifts for all the skiing you can imagine.
If you’re a resident of Vancouver you are very familiar with the city’s dedication to creating an eco-friendly environment, and if you’re visiting, you’ll soon find out. The city’s Greenest City Initiative is a program incorporating ways to reduce waste, energy dependence and pollution in the area with a goal of being the greenest city in the world by 2020. There are 10 specific plans designated to help reach this goal. The climate leadership goal includes reducing carbon emissions by 33 by 2020, and this plan will be carried out through such things as green transportation and lighter carbon footprints. One of their more ambitious goals includes that by 2020, 50 of trips be made via public transit, walking or cycling.This initiative can produce many positive outcomes, not just environmentally, but economically as well. By encouraging the growth and purchase of local food products, Vancouver-area farmers are likely to see improvement in their annual income. Increasing the presence of the green economy by doubling the number or green jobs by 2020 is a way to provide work for local residents, which not only serves the green goal but also helps in battling the current recession.The city’s website has a page where citizens can make suggestions about how to reach these goals and others can then vote on which ideas they like best. This citizen participation method is aptly termed Talk Green to Us.While this initiative is aimed at improving the environmental efficiency of the city and creating higher standards for air and water, there is also an ulterior motive. The underlying goal behind the creation of this plan is to encourage other cities to participate and compete against Vancouver for this title. Unlike most competitions where you prefer a small number of participants, in this situation the more the better. The more cities actively pursuing a greener lifestyle, the more we all benefit.